When Gods Smile
by zadeon
Summary: -COMPLETE- When the Teen Titans meet a guy from another existance, they find he has something that could very well help their beloved friend Raven.
1. His name is Valere

When Gods Smile

Chapter 1. His name is Valere

Raven sat in her room meditating. "Azarath… Metrion… Zinthos…" 'What is this feeling that I'm having towards…' a picture frame exploded, 'don't think about it Raven, get a hold of your emotions.' She slowed her breathing and continued. "Azarath… Metrion… Zinthos…"

An hour or so later, the alarm went off. Raven's communicator started blinking, it was Robin. "Raven, it's Brother Blood."

Beast Boy, having gone out to rent a movie, was the first to arrive on the scene. "Cool!" was all Beast Boy could say as he gazed upon Brother Blood frozen in a giant piece of ice and standing in front of it was a lone figure holding a drawn sword.

The Male teenager wore a black t-shirt and blue jeans. His hair was dark and cut short, but what really captivated Beast Boy was the red, orange and purple blade with a black handle.

The male sheathed his sword and started to walk away, but Beast Boy ran up to him before he could get three feet. "Dude! Did you do that? It's so cool!"

The male looked at his green admirer. "… Ya… and you might be?"

"Beast Boy, at your service." A very large and awkward grin spread on his face. He held out his hand.

The male accepted it with a firm grasp. "I am Valere. But some call me Ghost Blade."

For the first time Beast Boy noticed the amulet. It was a glass sphere on a silver chain. It was glowing red. "So, Ghost Blade, what is that amulet for?"

Valere looked like he didn't want anything to do with that subject, so he changed it. "Would they happen to be your friends?" Valere asked, pointing over Beast Boy's shoulder.

Beast Boy turned to find that the others had arrived. Valere seemed to be pointing at Raven particularly. A chill ran down Beast Boy's spin. "Guys, come over here. I want you to meet someone."

All the Titans were now standing in front of Valere. Beast Boy looked at his team. "Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, Raven," he held his hand towards Valere, "this is Valere."

Robin eyed the sword. "Why do you have that?"

Valere threw his thumb over his shoulder at the frozen Brother Blood. "I might have had to kill him, if I had not had my sword." He heard Cyborg give off an evil chuckle, but his attention remained on Robin. "I would assume that you are the leader them?"

Robin gave a slight nod and held out his hand. "Glad you meet you, Valere."

Valere took Robin's hand with a grasp as firm as the one he had with Beast Boy.

Valere turned to Raven and gave a slight bow. "Raven, you are a fair maiden."

Before Raven could respond in anyway, Valere took her hand and kissed it. Raven yanked her hand away. "Don't ever do that again!" she yelled and walked away, but stopped momentarily. She shook her head and continued.

Valere shrugged and turned to Starfire. Robin tensed up.

Valere bowed. "I hope you would not respond that way to my chivalry?" He made no move.

Starfire turned to Robin as he calmed. "Friend Robin, what is chivalry?"

Robin was now completely calm. "Star, it's like… rules for gentlemen. He's just being respectful."

Starfire smiled at Robin and turned back to Valere. "It would be fine, new friend Valere." With that she held out her hand.

Valere rose up a little and took her hand. "It is an honour, lady Starfire." He gave her hand a light kiss and rose to his full height.

Valere turned his attention to Cyborg and held out his hand. Cyborg shook Valere's hand and pointed at the large piece of ice. "Will he be alright?" Valere nodded. "I like him better this way."

Beast Boy got Robin's attention. "Dude, I think Blood isn't going anywhere, so could we go home now?"

Robin gave Beast Boy a nod and turned to Valere. "You want to join us?"

Valere shrugged. "I have nothing else to do and I would like that."

They all got into Cyborg's car.


	2. Tofu, pudding and herbal tea

This is my first time doing one of these, so I appolagize for Chapter 1 not being edited properly.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I'm not making money from this, so you can't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 2. Tofu, pudding and herbal tea

"Make yourself at home, Ghost." Beast Boy said as he headed to the kitchen. "Do you want tofu for dinner?"

Cyborg turned toward Beast Boy. "Man, how many times do I have to tell you, nobody wants tofu!"

"Actually," both Beast Boy and Cyborg turned towards Valere, "tofu will be just fine for me." Valere put on a small smile.

Cyborg was stunned. "You want tofu… as in no meat… I think I'm gonna be sick."

Beast Boy acted triumphant. "HA! I knew one day I would find a friend who would be a vegetarian."

"I'm not a vegetarian." Beast Boy seemed confused. "I would just like to have some tofu." Valere gave off a shrug.

"As would I." They turned to see Raven enter the room.

"Ohhh… not another one." Cyborg whimpered in defeat. Beast Boy ran into the kitchen. "Oh, no you don't! Me, Rob and Star still aren't eating your tofu!" Cyborg then gave chase.

As Raven moved passed Valere she looked at him. He gave her a bow. Raven looked away from him as he straightened, but he still caught the blush.

Starfire popped up in front of Valere with a huge smile planted on her face. "Friend Valere, when we are finished with the meal of supper, I will prepare the pudding of new friendship."

Before anyone could say anything against the idea, Valere spoke. "I would love to try your pudding of new friendship." With a squeal of joy, Starfire ran into the kitchen.

Somehow Beast Boy had gotten behind Valere. Beast Boy turned Valere around and shook him. "Dude! Her taste in food is weird. She drinks mustard and eats pickle, banana, and mint frosting pizza."

Valere put on a weird grin. "I've had that kind of pizza before." Robin and Beast Boy looked at Valere like he had extra arms. Raven, however, gave off the smallest giggle, that none, except Valere, caught.

"That was good, Starfire, thank you." Valere collected the plates as he spoke.

Starfire's smiled grew. "You are most welcome, friend Valere."

Valere went to the sink and started to fill it up. "Those can be done later. I would like to know where you are from."

Valere sighed. "You would not believe me."

"After hearing about Raven's family, it would be nearly impossible to not believe you." Robin turned and walked to his friends in the living room. Valere left the dishes on the counter and followed Robin.

They all sat in the living room. Their attention was on Valere. "I come from a place called Nakken, in another existence and I do not know how to return." Their attention lingered on him, so he continued. "We have a team of superheroes there too. My half-brother is the leader and I was always the one who would charge head long in to battle. One day, a guy named SoulDrive showed up and not long later, I find myself here."

Starfire stood up. "I will get the beverages. What would you like?"

"Just water, thanks." Robin replied.

Beast Boy and Cyborg both declined with a shake of their heads.

"I would like some of my herbal tea, thank you Star." Raven said.

Starfire turned to Valere. "I would like tea also," he turned to Raven, "if you would not mind, fair maiden."

A bit of anger crossed Raven's face, but it passed. She thought for a moment. "You can have some if you answer a question for me later."

"Sounds reasonable, that is what I'll have." Valere said. "And thank you both."

Starfire returned shortly with the drinks and some mustard for herself.

"Do you think it's possible for you to return home?" Robin asked, after taking a sip of water.

Valere shrugged. "SoulDrive said he was teleported to my existence, so I know it can happen again."

"When did you arrive here?" Cyborg asked.

"Five days ago, to the east of this city." Valere responded.

Cyborg nodded. "My computers detected a disturbance in that direction on that day. I had all the information recorded and I'll look them over and hope to find something that will help you." He was speaking more to himself than to Valere.

"Dude, what I really want to know is how can you freeze people?" Beast Boy was a little excited at what he was about to learn.

Valere took a sip of his tea before answering. "I use the magic of the sword."

Raven's eyes shot up in surprise and quickly returned to normal. Beast Boy could only muter one word 'cool'. Starfire seemed excited to be excited, but that could be normal. Robin seemed to go inside himself and think. Cyborg also seemed to go inside himself.

Valere turned to Robin. "It is late and I would like to retire, would you have any spare rooms?" Robin gave him directions to a room near Raven's.

Valere turned to Starfire and gave a bow. "Good night, lady Starfire." He turned to Raven. "Good night, fair maiden." He turned to the guys. "Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg, good night." Then, he departed.

"So, are we gonna watch the movie or not?" Beast Boy asked.

"Put it in." Robin told him.

Raven got up. "I'm going to bed too." She left the room as the movie started. She found Valere standing in front of the door to the room Robin had offered him. When she got near she noticed that he mouthed the words 'as does everyone else'. She tapped him on the shoulder. "Valere?"

He snapped out of the trance. "What can I do for you, fair maiden?"

Raven narrowed her eyes at him. "Stop calling me that." Her voice was somewhat laced with venom.

He made a questioning look at her. "Have you come to collect your due?"

Raven seemed to soften a little. "Yes."


	3. Overwhelmed

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I'm not making money from this, so you can't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 3. Overwhelmed

"What is your question, then, fair maiden?" Valere asked with a small smirk.

"What kind of magic is held in that sword of yours?" Raven seemed to be in a tunnel vision state of mind.

Valere's smirk grew. "What is the name of magic that was created from the energy of the gods themselves?"

Fear actually crossed Raven's face, along with some curiosity. "You hold the power of gods in the palm of your hand." Her eyes fell upon his blade. '_Is that why… Wait! Why can I not sense its power?_' She snapped out of her thoughts when she found that Valere was barely a foot away from her.

He reached for her and… picked a strand of hair off of her cloak. He held it in front of her face. It thickened and turned dark green. A bud grew on the end of what was now a stem and bloomed into a black rose.

He gave her the rose. "Magic can be used for beauty as well as destruction."

Raven eyed the rose suspiciously. "Are you trying to romance me?" Valere gave her a mischievous smile. "Stop." She ordered

She went into her room and he only smiled.

--- --- ---

Raven woke up around 3 am. She slipped on a black rode and proceeded to get some of herbal tea. When she neared the living room, she heard talking. She turned the corner to find someone sitting on the couch.

The person was looking down and talking. "You deserve what has been done to you." It was Valere. Raven knew he wasn't talking to her, so she snuck closer. He was talking to an open book with eyes. Malchior.

"Ahhh, my dear Raven. You look lovely as usual." Raven leaped over the couch and tried to tackle the book.

"As I thought." Valere said.

Raven noticed that Malchior was not there. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him close. "Where is he?" She asked in stern voice no louder than a whisper.

"Malchior was never here. I just summoned an illusionary image for the voice I've been hearing." Valere smiled. "He had some pretty interesting things to say."

"What did he tell you?" Raven demanded.

"Everything he knows about you."

She was stunned. Malchior knew everything about her and now, because of him, so did Valere. She wasn't sure what she was about to say next, but Valere cut her short.

"Are you not interested in your surroundings?" She looked around, but found nothing. "Do you not notice… or do you not dare voice your thought aloud."

She was afraid of what he knew. More then that she was afraid of him. He looked deep in her eyes and she felt like he could see into her soul, something no one had ever done to her before. "Raven, nothing has been destroyed."

She looked around the room in a new light. He was right and she knew it. Twice in his presence she had gone over the edge and nothing had been destroyed. She looked back at Valere.

"You're free." Raven couldn't hold her grip on his shirt, for these two words had hit her like lightning. She fell forward into him and began to cry, her emotions freed at last had overwhelmed her. He put his arms around her and spoke in a soft voice. "It's O.K, Raven. Take as much time as you need."

Before long, the crying made her exhausted and she actually fell asleep in his arms. He knew that he should not wake her, so he carried her to her room and tucked her in bed.


	4. A happy Raven and Valere’s warrior withi...

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I'm not making money from this, so you can't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 4. A happy Raven and Valere's warrior within.

When Raven woke up the next morning the first thought than ran through her mind was 'I can't believe I cried myself to sleep in a strangers arms'.

Raven pulled herself out of bed and went to the living room. The first thing she heard was, "Come on, Ghost. You ate tofu yesterday." She looked over at Beast Boy, who was standing next to Valere, who in turn had Cyborg behind him.

"Today, Beast Boy, he's on my side." Cyborg proclaimed happily.

"This is what I feel like eating for breakfast." Valere told them both. He had a plate of bacon, eggs and hash browns with a glass of orange juice. He caught her looking at his food. "Good morning, fair maiden." He pointed to the kitchen. "If you want some, I can go and get it for you."

She really was tired of him calling her that, but whether intentional or not, he has allowed her the gift of emotion. "Sure." She replied with a little happiness.

He went into the kitchen as she sat, cross from his place, at the table. She looked up at her friends and smiled. "Good morning Beast Boy. Good morning Cyborg." She smiled.

Both of them stood open mouthed at her. "Uhhh, Raven? You alright?" Cyborg asked.

"Ya. You're actually happy." Beast Boy pointed out.

Her smile grew larger. "Never better. Never better."

"Here you go." Valere placed her food on the table. He sat down, but before he got the chance to eat any of his food, Starfire walked in. "Good morning lady Starfire."

"Good morning to you, friend Valere." Starfire greeted with a smile.

Raven turned so she could see her friend. "Good morning Star." Raven continued to smile.

Starfire was stunned. "Friend Raven, you are happy. Is today a special day for you?"

"Yes and no." Raven replied and turned back to her delicious breakfast.

Valere said nothing about what happened the previous night. Obviously he was aware that she didn't want to speak of it.

Later, after Valere had beaten both Beast Boy and Cyborg several times at their favourite fighting game, Robin finally joined them. He walked over to Valere. "I'd like to see what you're capable of. I've been setting…" He saw Raven. "Raven? You're smiling."

Her smile grew yet again. "I know." She replied.

"When do you want me to start?" Valere asked, drawing Robin's attention back to the matter at hand.

"When you're ready." He replied.

Valere got up. "I'll get my sword then." And, he walked off.

The course had laser cannons, giant guillotines, pits and other dangerous obstacles. Robin's bo-stick sat on a pedestal at the end of the course, which happened to be no more than seven feet from Valere's position.

"Your goal is to get my bo-stick." Robin said from the control panel. "Ready… Set… Go!"

Valere just turned to the bo-stick, walked over and grabbed it. "How was that?" He asked with an evil smile. Raven actually laughed.

"Uhmm… Valere, you were supposed to go through the course." Robin told Valere.

"No. You said my goal was to obtain the weapon and I did. Why do something the hard way, when the fast and easy one is actually the best?" He countered.

"He's got you there." Cyborg said to Robin.

"If you really want to see what I am capable of just set up the combat training." Valere suggested.

Robin nodded and he entered the command.

Valere drew his sword, as an area of the ground opened and raised a robot out of the ground. It was one of Slade's that Cyborg had been rebuilt.

Valere charged forward, at an easy pace, and swung low. The robot jumped over the swing and countered, but Valere easily dodged. It continued like this for about three minutes, then he put a few meters between him and the robot. "Warm-up's over." He then disappeared and was instantly behind his foe. No one even saw his blade move as he cut the robot in half. Everyone stood open mouthed.

"How did you do that, Ghost?" Beast Boy asked. "Are you really a ghost?"

Valere shook his head. "No."

"I think we should skip levels 2 through 7, for you." Robin said.

"Level 8?" Cyborg yelled. "None of us has beaten it before. You got 7 of them before you had to call it quits. Me and Star are 2nd and at 4. Even with magic, he couldn't do it."

Robin ignored him. "If you get hit once by a laser, the session is over."

Valere nodded and as twenty of the robots were raised from the ground, he removed his shirt. Both females went wide eyed. He was very honed.

"Friend Valere is hot, yes?" Starfire said to Raven.

Raven blushed. "Very."

Valere brought his sword over his head and charged at his enemies, who were in turn coming at him. He jumped at the closed one and kicked off of it to pass over the others. As he landed, he cut one down the middle.

Valere spun around and decapitated two more robots. He ran free of them, but the created a solid defence. He ran around them, searching for a weakness and when he found it, he exposed it.

One of the robots had malfunctioning optic sensors. Valere cut it from shoulder to waist. The one to the right, he severed it at the waist. He turned his attention to the one on his left. Off came its hands and top of its head.

Suddenly, there was a large pain in his back. A laser beam had hit his back. 'How could I have been so careless?' he thought as a scream erupted from him.


	5. Just like home

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I'm not making money from this, so you can't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 5.Just like home

Robin hit the shut down button.

Valere fell face first into the ground and the others come over to check on him. "That hurt like a bitch." He told them, while still on the ground.

"You got six of them." Cyborg declared.

"No." Valere replied while getting up. "I got five of them. The one that I cut at the waist still functioned and that is the one that shot me."

Beast Boy cut in front of Valere. "Dude! Why didn't you freeze them or something?"

Valere laughed. "Because, I wanted to see how many I could defeat without using magic. And, I don't think it's such a good idea to reveal my entire hand just yet."

Beast Boy looked confused. "But I can see your entire hand," He said, "your not wearing gloves."

Raven laughed at him. "You're so funny." She said

"What's wrong with you?" Beast Boy practically yelled. "And, why isn't anything blowing up?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out." She teased. "Actually, I don't really know. But, I do know that I'm free."

For the rest of the day, Valere spent most of his time with Starfire. Raven hung out with Cyborg and Beast Boy. Robin spent a lot of his time looking over old files for information that Valere could use.

Valere and Starfire got along very well. They spent their entire morning talking. She told him everything she could remember about her world and he even started to learn some of her native tongue. He eventually got around to telling her of the beauty of his land and his family and friends. She found that he seemed to love his little sister the most, for he went on and on about her.

After lunch, Starfire grew tired of sitting around in the tower, so they left. Robin had seem them go.

"Do you think Valere wants Star?" He asked Cyborg, who had decided to go and take a look at the records of Valere's arrival.

He thought for a minute. "As far as I know he's only done two things that could even resemble hitting on her. When he kissed her hand and when he told her that she is beautiful." He thought for another minute. "Now that I think about it, he doesn't seem to have any sexual interest in her at all."

"I don't really see how that is possible." Robin stated.

Cyborg chuckled. "I don't." Then he walked off and left Robin with his thoughts.

Beast Boy had asked Raven if she wanted to play video games. She had been reluctant at first, but had accepted in the end. She only lost three times and after that she was unbeatable. Beast Boy had grown tired of losing and suggested they watch a movie. The movie ended as Starfire and Valere returned.

"Where were you two?" Beast Boy asked.

Starfire was actually worn out and retired to her room with no more then a smile to her friends. Valere sat next to Raven on the couch. "We went to the park and walked around for an hour. Then we played with some kids. I found an arcade and we played on a dance machine for an hour and a half, it took us some time to figure out how it worked, until today I have never seen one." He smiled. "The last thing we did was chase down a mugger."

"Sounds like you two had fun." Beast Boy returned the smile. "But why is Star tired and you're not?"

Valere put on another one of his evil grins. "That's for me to know and for you to find out, but unlike fair maiden here, I actually do know why." With that said, he let out a laugh.

A few hours later, everyone, except Valere and Raven, had gone to sleep. Valere was reading the files that Robin had given him and Raven was reading a book from her vast collection. He noticed she was falling asleep.

"Maybe you should go to bed." He suggested.

She shook her head. "No. I'm fine."

An hour or so later, he looked over to find she was asleep. 'She fell asleep in my presence again… well, at lest she didn't fall asleep in my arms again.' He laughed at the thought. 'Just like home.' He put his book down and carried her back to her room.


	6. What almost was

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I'm not making money from this, so you can't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 6. What almost was.

When Raven woke up, she noticed that she had once again fallen asleep and Valere had returned her to her room. 'I fell asleep in his presence again… well at lest I didn't fall asleep in his arms again.' She thought.

She got out of bed and looked out the window. It was not long before dawn. She left her room and went into the living room. Valere was talking with Malchior again. Her rage built up.

Valere knew she was there and dismissed the astral image of the book. She stormed over to him. "Why do you continue to talk to him? He is evil!" She yelled.

He looked her in the eyes. "I knew what he was from the beginning and he knew that I knew. I rarely sleep and need company. He's been locked away in a book for ten thousand years and kind of got bored. When you released him temporarily you only made the need for company in him stronger. Then, there's always the fact that we both have a thirst for knowledge, most of what we know the other does not."

She calmed. "He'll try to use you to get free."

He laughed. "I've heard every thought he has had to try to get free. He knows he can't use me."

She sighed. "Wait a minute." She put on a curious face. "Why do you rarely sleep?"

"I don't need sleep to rejuvenate myself." He began to explain. "I only sleep to cope with stress, just like I don't eat food for nourishment, only to get rid of the hunger."

"How is that possible?" She questioned.

"I have mastered a form of meditation that links my soul to the planet and through this I can gain energy and nourishment." He answered.

She moved close to him. "Can you teach me this?"

He moved closer to her. "It toke me thirteen years to even master connecting to the planet."

She moved within an inch of his face. "I've been meditating for most of my life."

"That will make it a lot easier." He whispered as he moved his lips towards hers.

Robin came into the living room just then. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Raven pulled away. "No." She said. "Valere was telling me about a better from of meditation."

Robin cocked an eyebrow. "Really?" She just nodded back to him. "Well… what would you two like for breakfast? It's my turn to cook."

"I'll have whatever Beast Boy's having," Valere said as Beast Boy walked in. "and some herbal tea." He turned to Raven.

"You'll have to answer another question." She was playing with him and he knew it.

He smiled. "You will always have questions for me and I will always answer them."

She turned to Robin. "I'll have some toast with my tea."

Robin turned to Beast Boy. "And you?"

"I'm not that hungry this morning." He said and walked off.

Robin turned back to Valere and gave a questioning look. "Some toast too, I guess." Valere told him.

Robin went into the kitchen just as the other two titans arrived.

Valere spent his day with Cyborg, learning what he could and even showing him a way to make everyone of his systems 10 faster. Robin had seemed stressed, so Beast Boy had dragged him out of the tower for some R and R. Raven and Starfire sat out on a small beach on the island staring out at the river.

Starfire looked down at the sand and started to draw symbols. "Friend Raven, I think that I am falling in the love with one of our friends who are boys."

Raven looked over at her friend. "If it is Robin, he is already in love with you."

Starfire shook her head. "It is not him that I have these feelings for."

"Well," Raven started, "you will just have to be honest and tell him."

Starfire nodded. "That is what I thought I would have to do."

Raven thought about what had nearly happened between her and Valere. She sat with Starfire, on the beach, until lunch.


	7. Internal conflict

Chapter 7. Internal conflict

Robin, Beast Boy, Starfire and Raven were already eating lunch when Cyborg joined them. Robin looked curiously at his metallic friend. "Where's Valere?"

"He said that he wasn't hungry and is now looking over the files I have from his arrival." Cyborg answered

Robin cocked an eyebrow. "You trust him?"

Cyborg nodded. "But, just in case, I left a camera down there."

Raven looked at him. "He knows your watching him."

He turned to her. "What makes you think that?"

She smiled evilly. "If he is powerful enough to hear Malchior's thoughts through a box, which is one of the most powerful artefacts I've ever heard of, what would make me think he can't?"

All of their eyes widened at her statement. Robin even jumped to his feet. "He's been talking with Malchior! How can you trust him?"

She eyed her leader. "Because, if he wanted to free Malchior, or even destroy him, he could have. Or, even us for that matter." She took a deep breath. "I don't know if he is good or not, but he is not evil."

Robin looked around at his team. "I'm not sure we should take the chance."

"You took a chance on me." She countered.

Robin thrust his fists onto the table. "He talks with Malchior."

Raven jumped to her feet and seemed to tower over Robin. "So did I!" She yelled. "From what I have heard, they have only one thing in common, their thirst for knowledge and that's the only reason they talk at all." She sat back down. "This conversation is over."

"This conversation is over when I say it is!" Robin yelled.

"No. It is over when I say it is." The sentence came in a calm voice. They turned to see Valere was walking over to Robin. "You have something to say about me, you say it to me and not behind my back." He ordered.

"Fine." Robin glared at him. "I can't trust you when you hold conversations with someone like Malchior."

Valere's eyes narrowed. "You want to know why I have been talking with him. The power of my sword diminishes every time I use it, but unlike before, it has not returned. I maybe a powerful fighter, almost rivalling you, but I have grown accustom to my magic and I will not lose it without a fight.

"Malchior has been teaching me the way of magic in your existence and with the knowledge I have been giving him in exchange, we are recreating the type of power that is in my sword. Of course it is nowhere near as powerful." Valere stopped speaking.

"You're making him more powerful?" Raven yelled.

He shook his head. "He's using me as an experiment, because he can't incorporate the magic style from my existence into himself and even if he can, I've been powering up the curse, just in case." He looked at Cyborg for an instant.

"How do we know if this is true?" Robin asked, still a little on edge.

"Get Raven to check the power of the curse and Malchior's power." Valere suggested.

"And, how do we make sure you don't try anything while she's doing that?" Cyborg asked.

Valere handed his sword over to Raven. "The rest of you are more powerful than me, without my sword."

Raven returned five minutes later, "What he says is true. The curse is stronger and Malchior has not seemed to have gained any power."

She returned the sword back to its owner. Robin moved in front of her. "How do you know it's not just a trick to get us to trust him? He's Malchior's friend."

"There are friends you can trust," Valere said as he put his hands on the shoulders of Beast Boy and Starfire, "like you guys and then there are friends who you can't trust."

Robin was about to say something, but Beast Boy cut him short. "I trust you." He said to Valere, and then he turned to Robin. "I have more reason to trust him than I do to trust you. Do you remember being Red X or Slade's apprentice? We forgave you and we trust you."

Raven stepped forward. "What about Terra? We forgave her and if she came back now, even I would trust her." She poked a fingerer into Robin's. "And, Valere hasn't even done anything to make up not trust him."

All of a sudden, Valere laughed. "It is impossible to make him trust me, because he does trust me." All eyes turned to him. "He's insecure."

"I am not." Robin yelled.

"Yes you are and you think that if you had a valid reason to get rid of me, it would be fine." Valere attacked. "What you're insecure, I don't know. Maybe you think your friends will like me better and I'll end up replacing you."

Starfire cut in. "That is how I felt, when me sister was here."

"Like I was saying," Valere continued, "I don't know if that's what you're insecure about, but you have nothing to fear."

The alarm went off and everyone except Robin ran into the lining room.

"That's not what I'm insecure about." Robin whispered before following his team.


	8. Wraith

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I'm not making money from this, so you can't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 8. Wraith

"A common robber." Cyborg told everyone. "We're not all gonna fit in the T-car."

"I'll fly." Valere volunteered. "I haven't done it in a while."

"You don't have a communicator. How do you expect to follow up?" Cyborg asked.

"I will fly also." Both Starfire and Raven said at the same time.

"Fine." Robin said. "The T-car will go faster with less people in it anyways."

Valere, Starfire and Raven went to the roof as the others went to the basement.

"How do you fly, friend Valere?" Starfire asked.

He smiled. "You will see, lady Starfire."

When they reached the roof, Valere pulled off his shirt. Again, both women could not help but stare, although, this time they noticed up close what could not be seen from afar. He held many scares on his body.

"You have been hurt many times." Starfire pointed out.

He smiled again. "Each one is a badge to me."

"Why?" Raven asked.

"Each one shows that I have never given up and never surrendered." He answered. "Stand back." He drew his sword and an instant later, he had grown white angelic wings.

"They are glorious." Starfire complimented joyfully.

Raven was stunned. "Beautiful." She whispered. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She chanted and flew past her friends.

"Oh! You want to play that game." Valere quickly picked up speed and caught up with her. Starfire zoomed past them and her friends chased her.

They touched down just before the others arrived. Robin yelled out his catch phrase. "Titans! Go!"

The robber ran out of the bank and was quickly pinned down by Starfire. Then, there was a gun shot. Everything slowed down of Valere.

He saw that another robber had seemingly come out of nowhere and had just shot at Raven. He could see the bullet slowly moving through the air, Raven turning and the horror in her eyes. He knew she was dead.

'Not if I have anything to say about it.' A voice said from deep within him. His amulet turned blue. His wings retracted. Something blew up. His sword flew thought the air. No one saw him move.

The speed of time returned to normal, as the bullet deflected off a sword and hit Raven above her heart. She fell to the ground and Valere's sword landed on the ground. Valere reappeared in front of the robber who had tried to kill Raven.

Valere hit the robber with such speed and strength, that the man threw up and almost passed out, but he was hit again and again and again. Valere was about to deal a deathblow to the head, when he heard a cry form Starfire. "Stop!" He dropped the man as his amulet turned red again.

"She's unconscious." Cyborg yelled. "She's gonna die if we don't do something now."

Valere ran over to his sword, picked it up and ran over to the unconscious Raven. He thrust the point of his sword into the ground, as he yelled. "Move! NOW!" And, they did.

He grabbed the blade and his blood ran down it. He placed his other hand on Raven's stomach. There was a glow around the two of them and the sword. His blood, on the blade, turned to ash as Raven's wound healed and pushed out the bullet.

Valere let go of his sword and paled. "She'll be… fine." He said weakly.

Beast Boy looked strangely at him. "Ghost, why did you cut your hand?"

"Faster and… easier to heal… someone." Valere replied.

Robin came toward him. "You nearly killed that man!" He yelled.

"He nearly… killed Raven." Valere countered.

"That gives you no right!"

"No, it doesn't, but it makes it justified for Wraith." He used up most of what was left of his energy.

"Who is Wraith?" Robin questioned.

"My… alter… ego." And, with that said, he slipped in to sleep.


	9. In love

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I'm not making money from this, so you can't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 9. In love

Valere woke up in the infirmary. Someone had stitched up his hand and wrapped it up. Raven lay in the bed next to him. She was asleep.

He got up, but before he could do anything more, a hand grabbed his shoulder. It was Robin.

"Good to see you up." He said.

Valere sighed. "I know you want to know about Wraith. He was who I originally was, pure warrior, pure instinct and pure death." He started. "Where I come from, he was the ultimate weapon against our enemies. We learned long ago, that, only if you can assure that friends and/or civilians will walk away with minimal damage should you take the chance of bringing in your enemy alive. That is Wraith's first rule."

He waited for Robin to replied, but he didn't. Valere knew what Robin wanted to hear. "Wraith was the only one who could save her. No other help would have been in time. I lost control, until Starfire yelled 'Stop'."

Robin sighed. "The man will live. Considering the circumstances, the authorities have declared it as temporary insanity. You will not be charged or even have to go in for an evaluation.

"Myself, knowing the truth, will dismiss what happened as a last resort. However, never summon Wraith unless there is no other chose." Valere nodded. "With that out of the way," Robin gave Valere a communicator, "welcome to the Teen Titans."

Robin left the room as Valere walked over to Raven. She looked so peaceful. Her breathing was steady. He moved a strand of her hair away from her face. He was about to sit down when Starfire walked in.

"Friend Robin has told us what you told him." She said as she rubbed her arm.

Valere smiled. "You helped me regain control." She smiled. "But, I know you're not in here to talk about that."

She rubbed her arm more nervously. "Friend Valere, I think I…" She paused, trying to gain courage to say what he knew she was going to say, "I think that I am… in love with you." She tried to look at his eyes, but couldn't.

He sighed. "I am not in love with you… I am in love with Raven." Starfire seemed as if she were about to cry. "But, even if I was not, I do not think I could ever be in love with you." Now she did cry.

"Why?" It seemed like a plea more than a question.

"Because, you remind me of my sister." She stopped crying. "The two of you are so alike. Both of you are so innocent, so naive, so energetic and so forgiving." He smiled. "I do love you, but as a brother would love his sister."

She thought for a minute. "Perhaps I have made a…"

He cut her off. "Do not do that to yourself, Star. Do not go into denial. Just get over it and try to love me as your brother."

She managed a small smile. "A brother. I have never had a brother before."

He laughed. "Yes you do. Cyborg sees you as his little sister, like I do."

Her smile became stronger. "I know I love friend Cyborg as a brother."

He wrapped her in a hug. "Goodnight, Star." He kissed her forehead.

Her smile returned to its normal state. "Friend Valere, you have called me Star twice now."

He laughed again. "Siblings always call each other by nicknames." She gave him a confusing look. "Nicknames are other names someone is called by, like how Beast Boy calls me Ghost."

She smiled again and left.

"Is it true?" Raven asked, sitting up in the bed.

He turned to the one who he had, just moments ago, admitted to being in love with. "You already know that it is."

She got out of bed and moved closer to him. "Prove it."

He moved closer to her. "When do you want to start learning my form of meditation?"

She moved to within an inch of his face. "Tomorrow."

"Then it's a date." He whispered as he moved his lips towards hers and this time they met.


	10. Being content

I apologize for this chapter being short. I know where the story is going to end, but I do not know how to get it there, so I'll do the best I can until I get inspired.

P.S. Thanks for the good reviews.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I'm not making money from this, so you can't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 10. Being content 

"Do you feel the planet's life force?" Valere asked his love.

All day, Raven had been meditating. She would not give up, she was to determined. She wanted to know how to make her soul one with the planet, to take energy and give it. That and she really wanted to know what life was like for Valere. "I do." She told him.

"Good." He said as he leaned towards her. "Now it's time for the hard part. You need to try to pull some of the energy into you."

For a few minutes, he let her try anything she wanted. He needed her to see that there was only one way it could be done. She began to stress herself. "Stop." He ordered.

"Why?" She asked without breaking her concentration.

Valere put his hand on her shoulder. "Good. You are good at this." He said to her as he bent down. "You have to image the life force of the planet flowing through you." He moved to her ear and started whispering in it. "When you have mastered that, I will have to test your concentration." He kissed her neck and a moan escaped her.

Over the course of the day, Valere spent most of his time with Raven. The others, with the exception of Beast Boy, knew exactly what was going on. Raven truly was free.

As night came, Raven got Valere to come to her room. He had declined at first, thinking she was moving the relationship to fast, but she assured him that it was not for that reason.

"Why did you want me here?" He asked her as he entered his room.

She went over to her bookshelf. "I have something I want you to see." She picked up a mirror. "This is a mirror that I use to enter my mind."

He looked at it curiously. "Why did you want to show me this?"

She held it up to him. "I want you to go there with me."

"Why?"

She pulled a strand away from her face. "I want to talk with them."

He let out a light laugh. "I'll wait her for you to return."

She smiled. "Fine, but I want to have a little fun when I get back."

She put the mirror on the ground, looked it in and disappeared. Valere sat on his love's bed and only then did he realize that he had spent so much time teaching Raven his form of meditation, that he had forgotten to meditate himself. In no time he had fallen asleep.

When he woke up, he realized that Raven had returned. She had wrapped herself in his arms and had fallen asleep. She looked so peaceful. He kissed her on her forehead and decided to just lay there with her. He was content to wait until she awakened. This is what he has always wanted.


	11. The stone maiden

Insperation hit me hard for this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I'm not making money from this, so you can't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 11. The stone maiden

Something was stroking the side of her face. Raven opened her eyes, only to find two pale green eyes staring right back at her. "Good morning, fair maiden." She pushed forward and kissed Valere, while wondering why she had never noticed the color of his eyes.

She pulled away, after an invigorating kiss, and dropped her head back on her pillow. "I don't want to get up." She sighed in defeat when she remembered what day it was. "I have to get up, it's the anniversary of Terra's… turning into stone."

His face showed confusion. "Terra?" He asked as he remembered the name. "Ah! I remember that name. The one who betrayed the team, but redeemed herself in the end."

"Did Beast Boy tell you about her?" She asked.

He shook his head. "I read about her in the records Robin gave me."

She nodded. "I want to kiss you some more before we have to get up."

He pulled her against him. "I really love you." She laughed lightly and began kissing him.

Beast Boy was so excited that he completely forgot to argue with Cyborg about breakfast. As soon as Valere and Raven walked in he ran over to Valere.

"Are you gonna join us, Ghost?" He asked happily.

Valere smiled. "Of course."

Beast Boy looked at his friend curiously. "Do you even know where we're going?"

Valere laughed. "To Terra's cave, right?"

Beast Boy nodded.

"Why are you so happy?" Raven asked.

A very large grin grew on his face, "Cyborg's found a way to bring her back."

"That's great." Both Valere and Raven cheerfully exclaimed.

Starfire joined then. "Good morning, friend Raven and brother."

The other three guys turned to Valere. He laughed again. "I guess I should have expected that."

After breakfast, the six of them went to Terra's cave. Beast Boy ran ahead, the others followed shortly.

"Hi Terra." Beast Boy said to the female statue. "We finally found a way to bring you back. Today you'll be coming home."

Cyborg came forward and took out a potion. "Stand back." He told them as he threw the potion against the statue. There was a lot of smoke, but when it cleared, Terra was still a statue.

"I thought you said it would work!" Beast Boy yelled out from being frustrated.

Cyborg turned to him. "I said it would work as long as she didn't turn herself into stone on purpose or that she wasn't already dead." He hung his head.

Raven turned to Valere. He looked like he was in pain. "Are you O.K.?" She asked.

He managed a small, empty smile before letting out a horrific scream. He clutched his sides as he fell to his knees. Everyone turned to him. "SHUT UP!" He screamed through the pain and it ended as quickly as it had begun.

Raven bent down and pulled him close. Robin walked up to them. "What happened?"

Valere was shaking as he stood up. "The earth screamed into my very soul. It was saying something about giving life."

Beast Boy got excited again. "Maybe it thinks you can bring Terra back to us."

"I'll try." Valere waited a little. "Well, the earth isn't trying to sway me from the course, so you're probable right, Beast Boy."

He walked over to the statue and put himself into a trance. He turned to her heart and went very still. Raven could see him start to glow. The others seemed not to notice. He was meditating.

The glow around Valere weaved its way thought the air, it went towards her heart. As it entered her heart, she began to glow, as well and everyone could see it this time. The stone turned to flesh.

Terra, now flesh and bone again, fell to the ground taking in long and hard breathes. Beast Boy rushed to her side. Tears filled her eyes and she wept on him.

No one said a word as she cried, but Raven knew what Valere was thinking. He knew that he had set into motion a difficult trial, for all of them.


	12. The trial begins

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I'm not making money from this, so you can't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 12. The trial begins

Terra spent a lot of her time in her old room. She had come out once for lunch. Beast Boy was getting agitated.

"Why won't she talk to us?" He practically yelled out.

Robin put his hand on his green friend's shoulder. "Beast Boy, she did betray us and she's unsure of where she stands because of it."

Beast Boy looked up at the boy wonder. "But, we're still her friends." It sounded more like a plea.

Raven walked into the room at that moment.

"Where's Valere?" Robin asked her, completely forgetting about his conversation with Beast Boy.

She sighed. "He said that because he fell asleep yesterday, that he has fallen behind in his schedule. So, at this moment he's talking with Malchior."

Robin shook his head. "I still can't believe it's possible to be friends with a villain."

She laughed. "Cyborg knows it's possible to be more than friends with a villain."

Cyborg turned red, but never turned from the T.V.

"Are you sure?" Valere asked Malchior.

The eyes laughed at him. "You can read my thoughts, if I was lying or even unsure of something, you would know instantly."

The Malchior said was true enough. The true question, however, was how did he know this? To Valere, it does not matter how, just that it is. He sighed. "I have a lot of to think about. I will talk to you later."

He closed the book with Malchior trapped in it and placed it on his desk. He had found spare furnishings in the tower's basement.

He was heading to the living room, when he passed Terra's room and stopped. Her name was engraved on the door. '_How long is it going to take before I get my name on my door?_' He thought. '_Well, if all goes according to my plan it won't be my room for very long._' He gave a light chuckle at the thought.

He was about to continue to his destination, when he heard Terra sigh, from inside her room. He decided to find out what was wrong. He knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Came a depressed voice.

"It is Valere." He answered.

A few seconds passed before she responded. "Come in." He walked in, but didn't pay any attention to her furnishings, all he really noticed was it was yellow. "What do you want?" She hadn't meant for it to sound so rude, so he didn't take it as being rude.

He stood in front of her. "We haven't been properly introduced. My name is Valere, but my friends from where I'm from called me Ghost Blade. Beast Boy just calls me Ghost." At the mention of Beast Boy, Terra's mood lightened momentarily.

She looked up at Valere. "My name is Tara, but call me Terra." She held out her hand, to shake his, but he kissed it like he had done when meeting Raven and Starfire for the first time. "Chivalry? How nice." She smiled.

He returned the smile. "Don't get any ideas. I love Raven."

"Lucky her." Terra smiled again.

"Why are you depressed?" He already knew, but this would be easier if she admitted it aloud.

She gave him a desperate look, but he didn't cave. She sighed. "I don't know how to forgive myself for what I have done, let alone how the team will and I no longer have control of my powers."

He hadn't expected her to let it out that simple or easy. "The team had already for given you. They understand why you did what you did."

"How can they?" Her voice had risen.

He laughed and she gave him a disgusted look. "I don't know how they can understand. I understand as well, but I have been there." He looked down at his sword. "When I first acquired my sword, it linked its self to me and its power was released at random. I thought I would never learn to control it and I almost did what you did to gain control, but a friend of mine destroyed the man who would teach me." He put his hand on her shoulder. "I understand the temptation.

"Maybe," he continued, "our friends understand because they have been there themselves, but for different things. Raven for her powers as well. Beast Boy against his animal instincts. Robin wanting revenge for the death of his parents. Cyborg wishing to join the H.I.V.E. for Jinx." She laughed at his comment. "Star probably is the only one who doesn't understand, but she is forgiving by nature."

Terra lowered her head. "That's all good, but I still have the problem of not having control over my powers again." She said.

He lifted her chin. "I can help you." Her face displayed a fare amount of hope and confusion. "Your powers come from your ability to connect your life force with the earth's, you just have to learn how to do it properly. "Tomorrow, just join me and Raven after breakfast."


	13. The calm before the storm

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I'm not making money from this, so you can't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 13. The calm before the storm

Over the next few weeks, Valere trained Raven and Terra to link to the earth's life force. There were times when either Starfire or Beast Boy would watch, but not join in. Terra was getting the hand of it, but if Raven wasn't getting 'side lessons' from him, she would be far behind Terra.

Valere was almost always focused on his plan. The date was zooming up fast and he knew he was pushing it as it was. The plan was still running smoothly. There had been no interference.

It was 2 in the morning and Valere was talking with Malchior, when Raven walked into his room. "I need to speak with you, alone." She gave the book a spiteful look.

"I'll speak with you tomorrow." He said to Malchior. He went to Raven's room. "Why are you still up?" He asked her.

"I couldn't sleep." She moved up against him. "That's why I want you to sleep in my room with me from now on." She looked deep into his eyes.

"I'd love that." He bent forward and kissed her. This was going to make his plan a lot easier. He pulled away. "I'm guessing you would like me here tonight?"

She nodded and pulled him to her bed. They lay down and she wrapped herself in his arms. Soon, they were both asleep.

The next day, the session with Raven and Terra went great and Starfire even joined in. She was quick to pick up how it worked, but she showed great difficulty in succeeding, however, she showed great promise.

Terra was becoming comfortable among the Titans again and even hinting at the idea of picking up her relationship with Beast Boy, where it left off, and it was one of the few hints he seemed to catch.

Raven spent her day with Starfire, who was anxious to know the state of the relationship. Raven seemed to be intent on telling Starfire all about it, whether she wanted to hear it of not.

Valere hung out with Robin in training. Their combat skills were indeed close, but it was clear Robin was superior. He had all physical attributes over Valere, except strength. But, Valere was more intellectually honed.

Valere later spent time with Cyborg and Beast Boy. They played video games for an hour or so before convincing Terra to join them.

Around supper time, Valere took Raven on a date to a fancy restaurant he had seen, when he had first arrived. Their date lead them to spend two hours on the beach. When they returned to the tower, they had a visitor.

"Valere, this is Aqualad." Robin introduced. "Aqualad, this is Valere."

Aqualad held out his hand and Valere accepted it. "Good to meet you."

"Likewise." Valere responded.

Raven stepped forward. "Why are you here?"

"You're wearing a dress." Aqualad was obviously stunned.

She smiled. "I was on a date."

He pulled his eyes from her figure and looked her in the eyes. "Slade has shown up near Titans East."

She paled. "What's he trying to do now?" She asked herself more then the others.

"Bumble Bee has requested backup." Robin stole their attention. "For some reason, their communication to our tower has been blocked, so she sent Aqualad."

"You want us to go, don't you?" Valere asked, but he already knew the answer.

"Can you read minds?" Robin asked back. "You seem to know everything before you can even have the possibility of knowing."

"Not really." Valere started. "A person's life force changes depending on what they're thinking, due to their emotions."

"Well, you're right." Robin finally answered. "The two of you probably have the best chance of beating Slade, once and for all."

Both Valere and Raven nodded. "We'll leave in an hour." Raven said.

"We'll fly." Valere told Aqualad. "We should reach Titans East by dawn."


	14. The amulet and the chakra

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I'm not making money from this, so you can't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 14. The amulet and the chakra.

Valere and Raven arrived at Titans East an hour before dawn. They landed on top of the tower. Valere retracted his wings and they went to the main room. Speedy was watching TV or maybe sleeping.

"Hello Speedy." Raven greeted.

He jumped up, drew his bow and spun around. "Raven? Good to see you." He put his bow away and gave a slight bow. He turned to Valere and held out his hand. "The name's Speedy."

Valere took the hand with his firm grasp, as always. "Valere."

Speedy started to lead them away. "I've not slept in two, so Bumble Bee ordered me to take a break." They stopped at a door. "She's in here."

The three of them went inside. Bumble Bee was sitting at a desk and rubbing her head, she was also grumbling something about 'not good enough'. She finally pulled away from her work long enough to notice the three standing there. "Oh! Sorry." She got up and walked over to them.

"Good to see you again, Bumble Bee." Raven said.

Bumble Bee turned to Valere. "I'm the leader of this tower." She held out her hand for a hand shake.

Going against his nature, he shook her hand like he would any other. "My name is Valere." The last thing he needed right now was a jealous Raven. "We flew here through the night, so if you don't need us immediately, we should probably get a few hours of rest before we begin."

She nodded. "The last thing we need is a tired team." She looked at Speedy. "Could you show them to their rooms?" He nodded.

Valere shook his head. "That will not be necessary. One room will do and all we need is directions."

Valere and Raven slept for 2 hours, for they were too tired to even meditate, and their third hour meditating. Valere decided to make breakfast for their hosts. When they were all done eating, they went to the tower's main room.

"We have two other members, Mas y Menos," Bumble Bee told her visitors, "but they are on another mission right now."

Valere nodded. "That would be one of the reasons you requested backup." He reasoned.

She returned the nod.

"Where has Slade been?" Raven asked.

"He's been popping up in random places," Aqualad told them, "but he appears as if he's looking for something."

"Do you have any idea of what he could be looking for?" Valere asked.

"Some civilians heard him muttering something about a stone for a dead book." Bumble Bee answered. "I know the name of it but…"

Valere had stiffened up. "Is it possible for our existences to be so similar on that kind of level?" He asked himself in a whisper. He became deadly serious. "Would this book happen to be called 'the Book of the Forsaken Dead'?"

"That's what it was called!" Speedy snapped his fingers. "Why? What is so important about it?"

Valere ran his fingers through his hair, something he rarely did. Raven put her hand on his shoulder. "It was created so that souls of the dead could be summoned to the living realm, out realm. If it was destroyed…" She was cut off by her love.

"Goodbye, undead." He gave off an evil smile. "Resurrection is possible without the book's existence, however.

"We need to find that stone." He said in a stern voice. His fingers fiddled with his amulet. "This amulet's gem should look exactly like the stone."

They all gazed at him strangely. "Why would it?" Raven asked.

"Because, it is the stone from my existence." Raven jumped back and put her hand over her charka. Valere's eyes grew wide. "The necklace. You're using the necklace's crystal as a meditation tool."

The other Titans looked confused. "There's a necklace as well?" Bumble Bee asked.

He nodded. "There's also a gauntlet." He started to use his hands. "You knew what the book does. The stone separates a person's entire being into two separate personalities. The necklace lets you see things that should not normally be seen. And, the gauntlet can change the very fabric of a realm." He would have kept going, but the alarm went off.

Bumble Bee checked the computer. "It's Slade."


	15. Hell's puppet

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I'm not making money from this, so you can't sue me.

* * *

Chapter 15. Hell's puppet.

Slade had been spotted near a cemetery. Valere and Raven went to check the eastern side of it while Bumble Bee and Speedy checked the western half. Aqualad had to be else where, due to the sinking of a cargo ship.

Valere's communicator went off, as he and Raven near the end of their side of the cemetery. Went he answered the call all he got was a scream before the line went dead. "Shit." He whispered with anger.

They rushed towards their team mates. When they arrived, Bumble Bee was unconscious and Speedy's leg was caught under a tombstone. "Slade was just here." He told them.

Raven tried to lift the stone with her power, but she couldn't even summon them.

"Don't even try, Raven." Slade stepped out from behind a crypt. He raised his left hand to reveal that he had the gauntlet. "God's Hand. You can thank Speedy for damaging it and disabling me from using its full power. Although, I don't need its full power to succeed." He rose up the book and stone.

Valere drew his blade and charged at Slade, but he disappeared with help from the gauntlet. He reappeared in front of Raven and reached out to her with his left hand. Something blew up.

Raven saw a hand land on Slade's shoulder. They both looked up to see Valere upside down and his sword came swinging down. The blade hissed through the air as it hacked off Slade's left hand. He landed next to her as Slade stumbled backwards, clutching his stump. She saw that Valere's amulet was blue. He was Wraith.

Slade laughed as his hand floated back to him and reattached its self. He disappeared again. Valere took a step forward and turned towards Raven. The point of his blade pointed at her and started to move closer. Her eyes grew wide.

Something fell on top of Raven and she fell to the ground. It was Slade. He grabbed her chakra as the sword pierced through him. Valere twisted it and lifted Slade off of hr, pulling the chakra out of her forehead.

Slade landed on his feet a meter away. He lifted the chakra up and laughed again. "The set is complete!" He yelled with glee. "I will live once again." He opened the book.

'There is only one thing we can do now.' Ghost Blade's word burned through Valere.

'Raven loves you, so I will do it.' Wraith thought in response. The amulet turned back to being red.

"What do we do?" Speedy asked.

Valere grabbed his amulet and pulled it off. He ran towards Slade and threw the amulet at the stone when he was close enough. Slade looked up just in time to see the amulet his stone.

Both of the stones started to glow pink, before they blew up. "NO!" Slade screamed. The book and the chakra fell to the ground. "You're going to regret you had ever thought of doing that, boy."

Slade created a bo-stick, like Robin's, as Valere charged at him. Slade was moving much faster that Valere. 'I can't believe I'm already regretting having destroyed Wraith.' He thought as Slade made a solid hit on his right leg.

The battle continued with Slade getting the upper hand with every move. Valere was taking minor injuries, but they were adding up, and every one he gave Slade healing immediately. He knew he was going to lose unless he did something devastating and soon.

Raven could only watch, because Slade had done something to her or for fear that she would distract Valere or both. "If only I had my powers back." She had meant for it to be a thought, but it had slipped out.

A small part of Valere heard those words and used them to conceive a plan. His sword went high as he pulled his left fist in for a punch. Slade saw this and saw it as a way to deal a crippling blow to his enemy.

Slade put the sword out of his mind and grabbed Valere's punching fist with his right hand. He began to crush the fist and Valere only gave an evil smile through the pain. Slade felt the sudden impact in his left hand, followed by a searing pain and a very powerful explosion.

Valere kicked Slade away from him. He had overpowered the gauntlet when his sword had collided with it. He had been hoping to damage it enough to free Raven's powers, but destroying it all together was sufficiently better, even though he had drained a lot of power from his sword.

It was now or never. "Hold him, Raven!" He yelled.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She chanted. Slade was covered by her black energy, but he was too powerful and would be free soon. Whatever Valere was planning to do, he had to do it soon.

Valere felt her worries and found that he had only one choice available to him. He ran towards Slade, jumped and impaled him in the chest. The blade sunk down to its hilt. The black energy faded and Slade reached up to crush Valere's head. A small smile crept onto Valere's face as the sword started to hum. There was a large explosion and he landed in front of his love. When the smoke cleared, Slade was no more.

"What did you do?" She asked her unconscious love.


	16. Will it be happily ever after?

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I'm not making money from this, so you can't sue me.

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Chapter 16. Will it be happily ever after? 

Valere awoke to find Raven standing next to his bed. She had her hood up and her clock pulled close. Her emotions were scrambled. "Did you think I was dead?" Even though he couldn't her emotion properly, he knew that wasn't it.

"You and I can't be together anymore." Some tears were running down her cheeks. "I have one question for you. What did you do to Slade?"

Valere held back his pain, only because he loved her. "I used what was left of the swords power to destroy his soul." He stared hard at her. "Now, I have one question for you. Did you see my memories?"

She took a deep breath. "I saw them the first night you slept in my bed. The carnage in your past scared me beyond what I thought was possible. To see what you were actually capable of, I knew then why you don't like to sleep." She paused for a moment. "But, I also saw the love you have for your friends, family and especially your little sister, Zelda. She really is like Starfire." She smiled and gave a small laugh. Something blew up.

"So that's why." Valere said with some sorrow, as he got up. "The sword was the reason you had full control of your powers and now it's gone." He let go of his pain and it quickly turned to anger. He punched the wall. "Damn it! I love you enough to die foe you, but I can't do fuck all about this!" He was about to hit the wall with his left hand, but found it was bandaged and in a lot of pain. He sat on the edge of the bed and she started to leave. "Wait, please."

Raven turned around. "What?" She tried to sound mean, but her voice was shaky.

His plan could never work now. He had to at least let her know it, no matter the conscience was. "I want you to see something." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box. "Here."

She took it and nearly lost all her energy when she opened it. It was an engagement ring. "Valere?" She whispered, for at that moment she could do nothing else.

"I made it with my sword." He went to put his hand on the hilt, but found it missing. "I thought you should know how much I truly love you, even if it meant your powers going haywire and killing me. I feel as though I have no reason to exist without being able to love you."

She turned to him and let her anger go. "You idiot! You could have killed us all, with this little surprise…" She stood frozen. Valere looked at her strangely. "Yes! Yes, I will marry you!" She jumped on him, hurting his hand and a number of other places on his body.

"What the hell?" He looked down at her. "You were just saying that you could never be with me because of your powers, were you not?"

She looked up at him with a very large smile. "Don't you see? You made the ring with your sword, so it's a part of your sword. The ring will give me full control of my powers!"

He was speechless, so he just kissed her.

When Valere and Raven returned home, they found two people had arrived while they were away. It was Jinx and Gizmo.

"Why are they here?" Raven asked Robin.

"They defected from the H.I.V.E." He shrugged. "I think Jinx defected because she has a crush on Cyborg. Well, all that really matters is that they warned us of an attack from their old home and if they hadn't been on our side we would have lost."

Starfire came up to them at that moment. She noticed Raven's ring. "You have a lovely hand accessory, friend Raven."

Robin looked down at the ring and his eyes widened. "You and Valere are engaged." He said a lot louder than what Raven would have liked, which was not at all. Luckily, everyone seemed too interested in how Valere defeated Slade, to hear Robin.

Starfire looked at Robin with confusion. "What is engaged, friend Robin?" She asked him

Before Raven could tell him not to tell her, he did. "It means two people are going to get married." He said with ease.

Starfire squealed with joy and that got everyone's attention. "Hooray! Friend Raven and friend Valere are to be married."

Those around Valere gave him their congratulations. He pulled away from them and went to Raven. "Well, now that the cat's out of the bag…" She cut him off before he could finish.

"Don't do that. Don't become Beast Boy." She pleaded.

"Sorry." He decided he shouldn't bother to restart. "We should start planning the wedding."

Raven looked up at the only man in her entire life she could love and for the first time in her life, she was full of hope for the future.

Because Valere and Raven didn't have the same religion, they went and got a marriage certificate. They read their vows to each other at the reception.

A week after they married, Raven found out she was pregnant and she had never seen Valere happier, except for when she had told him she would marry him.

THE END.

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Thanks for the reviews. There's going to be a sequel, I'm just going to call it 'When God Smile 2'. 


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